The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1887-08-06

Most OF these were uficcrs. and some OF
them were from Lees army and had got
1h4s tar on Their Journey homeward.
Atlast all were aboard and started down
the rIv,r for Mobile. The last hostile move.
mcnt having been made against the enemy,
AID with no more IN prospect, came new
seusation-- the long, cruel war had at last
ended Those who have reached mature
age since wartime can have no adequate
realization OF the long days OF bloody bat
I c, anxiety and anguish, that heightened
out into weeks, months and years, from
April, 1861, I'LL April, 1865.
The trip TO Mobile was quickly made,
The river was full and the current swift;
the banks were for the most part covered
with unbrokcn forest, some Of the larger
trees ovcrhangng the waters edge. All
the trees OF the forest were covered with
long gray moss that dropped from the
boughs and fell over the foliage In grace
ful manner, light,alry and beautiful as lace
work
After reaching Mobile the division went
into camp about three miles from the city
upon the hills.
The writer's company was encamped in
the yard OF one OF the brothers-nan.n for.
gottcn-DclOre referred 10 as one of the
owners OF the southern Republic" and
vino had grown rich before the war in the
irCan slave trade.
The house was large, square, plain
structure, but pleasant and home like.
Whneall actyc military services was at an
end there were yet formal camp services TO
perform, among these was guard duty.
However, III tins all soon grew lax, and the
than uhant fbis nnriot
remembers walking from sound sleep the
party whom lie was TO relieve, Two hours
IN the middle Of night at some lone spot
drags along very slowly. When on guard
under such circumstances the writer more
than once reSoriGd to counting. After
learning by trial how many could be count.
ed IN given time, it was readily ascer-
tanned, by approximation, of course, the
number that would be counted in two
hours; then upon mounting guard the
counting Of this number was resolutely en-
tered upon and kept at till accomplished,
at about which time the approach OF the re-
lief gave notice that the two hours had ex-
pircd.
This simple cxpedicnt, by fixing thu mind
upon the accomplishment of certain OBJ.
icct, served to hasten the flight of time
the only living thing seemed to be the
Southern mockng bird Sometimes the
singer would make his presence known in
some thick bush near by in burst of song
that IN succession mmicked every bird of
the forest
Whilo cncamped at this place papers
were received containing full account of
he capture of Jefferson Davis. This oc.
Cured May 10, 1865, at lrwnsvllle, Ga.
The captors were body of men under
Colonel Pri,chard, of the Fourth Michigan
cavalry
The capture Of the President Of the
Southern Confederacy at the time of its
occurrence occasoned much rejoicing, and
removed the last veshge Of Southern re.
sistanCe
One day in June the writer, with two or
three companions, went black -berrying in
a heavly,tlm bered section, two or three
miles from camp, situated In "a low region
Of country in which were several swamps
and bayous.
After time, while picking some berries
and moving about in quest Of others, the
writer became separated from his compan-
ions. Meantime the sun became obscured
by heavy clouds, it began to thunder and
ain, Nullt III dlIOSl cNCIN oiiSt'
ton could be heard the deep believing Of
alngators. They seemed near by, and their
unearthly noise was not calculated to add
to the cheorfulness OF one alone in heavy,
strange forest in an enemy's country and
with a terrific storm approaching.
Fortunately, however, the storm passed
around and the writer soon found his way
out of the timber and in due time reached
camp with good supply of nice berries.
Speaking OF ailigators, the writer recalls
an experience with what was supposed to
be one, in the early spring of 1863, while
marching across the peninsula opposite
VIcksburg, when upon the campaign
against that stronghold. ID.
The command had halted for day or two
at Holmes plantation, and with a cOmpan-
ion the writer set out for a hunt, The
whole region nearly was more or less under
water, and we were obliged 70 make our
way for the most part upon levee that
led along the banks Of q bayou. Pretty
soon we saw what WAS thought to be ah
alligator sticking His head outofthe water.
We both had army muskcts that carried
large minnie ball. One of us took aim and
fired very deliberately, but made no i'm
pres sion upon the object aimed at, but as
dll'shthTN e VIGOROUSLY non lmpreSSlOn-
al lie to lulIcts, nothing was thought of
this, and another shot was fired.
About ills time the alligator" jerked
his hoad uqdcr. water, but soon put II out
again, and this operation he repeated
al short intervals Meantime shot after
shot was fir Il, and al last. one knocked off
large piaVe,oi bark from the end Of a
gray, wealicl-t Fuep log that lay in the
stream IN such position that while one
end was lmb'ddcd ia the mud the other
projected up stream and just came to the
surface upon which it rose and fell with
the current. This technically called by
boatmcn sawyer, was what. we had
taken for an alhgator's head and fired at
SO many times.
One day the writer was sitting upon the
fence around the house near which his com
panN was encamped when all at once
terrific explosion was heard that seemed to
b. right at hand. The. first thought was
that the Brigade Battety had, unnoticed,'
F.s---,s.s-=-z-- -s.szss-s Zs-59
| X T---zs --.-l4 -
--l -. A =